Adjustable fan



Mayf14, 1929. s, R NE 1,712,883

ADJUSTABLE FAN Filed June 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 Char/eGJGfianen, S

ill

Patented May 14, 1929.

CHARLES s. Gnonnn,

OF KIRWIN, KANSAS.

ADJUSTABLE LEAN.

Application filed June 5, 1926. Serial No. 114,000.

'lhis invention relates generally to new and useful iuu nrovenicuts in fans and has more particular reference to a novel and simplified fan for automol'iiles, tractors and the like.

An important object of the present inven tion to provide such a fan including a plurality of blades which may be easily and quickly adjusted whereby the temperature of the engine can atall times be maintained. at a predetermined point.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of new and novel means for adjusting the angle of the blades so that the warm air may be forced outwardly through the radiator of the machine with which the fan is associated or whereby the cold air can be drawn inwardly so that the temperature of the engine can be nmintained at a predeterniined point. i

A further object of the present invention is the provision of such a fan which is simple in construction, practical. and efficient in its operation, and well designed for the purposes for which it is intended.

l i ith these and numerous other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel con struction, combination and arrangement of parts to be more fully hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like characters of reference denote correspond ing parts through out the several views:

Figure l is a front view of an adjustable fan constructed in accordance with the pres ent invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4t is a sectional View t-el of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the acco1npanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration has been disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the letter A represents generally the usual stub shaft of an. automobile, tractor or the like and l? the improved adjustable fan associated therewith.

The stub shaft A comprises the enlarged inner end portion and the reduced outer taken on line end portion 11. resulting in the formation of the shoulder 12. i

The fly wheel IE is adapted tobe mounted on the reduced end portion 11. of the stub shaft A. and comprises in its construction a cylindrical housingltl on the rear face of which is formed the integral extension 1d, the outer surface of which is transversely and arcuately curved to provide a pulley surface around which is to be trained the usual fan belt, not shown. Arranged within the extension 1st adjacent the rear end thereof are the supporting cross bars 16 carrying at their inner ends the collar 17 which oncircles the reduced end portion 11 of the stub shaft A, a suitable bearing 9 being arranged. within. the collar and engaging the shoulder 12, whereby to prevent rearward. longitudinal movement of the housing 13 on the shaft A. The frontwall 18 of the cylindrical housing 13 is n'ovided with the forwardly extending reduced extension 19 constituting a bearing cup having an opening therein for the reception of the collar 20 carried by the reduced end thereof. The end wall 18 extends inwardly beyond the extension 19 to provide the annular flange 21 which overlaps and engages the inner. surface of the collar. A nut 22 is threadedupon the outer end of the shaft and a locking bolt 23 is inserted through the said nut and the shaft whereby to effectively prevent forward longitudinal movement of the housing on the said shaft A.

Formed integrally with the cylindrical housing 13 and projecting radially therefrom are the four equally spaced bear-in gs 24. tapering toward their outer ends and each bearing being provided with an axial bore through which bores are disposed the shafts 27, the outer ends of the said shafts extending beyond the bearings and being screwthreaded to receive the internal threads formed in the central enlargements 28 of the fan blades 29, each of said blades being cut away as at 30 to receive the bearings 24;.

The interior of the housing 13 and extension 15 are provided with the longitudinally extending flat surfaces 31 and are further provided with the longitudinally extending shoulders 32 which are spaced from the flat surfaces 31 and extend parallel therewith to provide guideways 33 for the rack bars 3% provided 011 one surface with the rack teeth 35 adapted to be enmeshed with the teeth of the gears 36 carried by the inner ends of the shafts 27 and seating against the flat faces 31, the end Wall 18 being provided with openings 37through which the rack bars 34 are permitted to extend.

The said rack bars 34 project rearwardly beyond the extension 14 and are secured to the plate 39, said plate being formed with a collar 40 surrounding the enlarged portion 10 of the shaft and having an annular groove 41 formed in the periphery thereof. The numeral 42 denotes a lever fulcrumed at one end as at 43 and provided at its opposite end with a yoke 44, which yoke straddles the collar 40 and is provided with transverse pins 45 which areloosely received within the annular groove 41in the collar 40. The lever 42 is connected to the operating handle 46 through the medium of the connecting link 47, said operating handle 46 being adapted to extend to the dash board or other suitable point of the automobile or the like where it will be within convenient reach of the operator of the Vehicle so that by simply grasping the same, he will be able to adjust the angle of the blades 29.

Thus, it will be seen that in the operation of the device, and when it is desired to adjust'the angle of the fan blades 29, it is only necessary for the operator of the vehicle to rock the lever42 on its fulcrum 43 by moving the operating handle 46 whereby the collar 40 will be moved along the stub shaft thereby moving the rack bars inwardlyor outwardly Wltlltllt) result that the gears 36and shafts 27 will be rotated to vary the angle of the blades 29. It will therefore be appreciated that the adjustment of the blades can be quickly and easily achieved and that the angle of the blades can be changed to force the warmair from the engine outwardly through the radiator while again, the blades may be so adjusted to draw the cold air inwardly and in this manner, the temperature of the engine can at all times be maintained at a proper point.

lVhile there has been shown and described one embodiment of the present invention which in practice will give both eflicient and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modifications in various particulars and that any such 1nodilications as fall within the scope of the appended claim may be resorted to without departing from or sacrificing the spirit of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is In a fan structure, a fan pulley hub comprising an. elongated hollow body open at one end and having an apertured wall across the other end thereof, the inner wall ol said body being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending track grooves. a bearing in and at the open end of said housing, a bearing cup upon the outer face of said wa ll overlying said aperture, a supporting shaft extending longitudinally through the body through said bearing'and bearing cup. :1. collar carried upon said shaft positioned in said cup, a plurality of radially extending bearings of frusto-conical formation each having a shaft passageway formed longitmlinally therethrough and opening into the body adjacent a groove, a shaft extending through each of said bearings, a propellor blade car ried upon each shaft at the outer end of the same, a pinion gear carried upon the inner end of each shaft within the body, a. rack bar slidably mounted in each of said grooves and engaging an adjacent pinion gear, and means supported upon said shaft and engaging said bars, for actuating the same longitudinally of the hub body.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES s. GnoNnn. 

